Conserve and Sustain

Nature Conservation

Two tides a day, about 12 hours apart, flood the Dart Estuary up to Totnes weir. When the tide goes out large expanses of mud are exposed. These mudflats are home to thousands of burrowing animals, such as ragworms, furrow shells, cockles, crabs and various snails, which in turn provide food for a wealth of bird life. Despite the mud's barren appearance its biological productivity has been matched to a tropical rainforest!

Stretches of mud along the upper reaches have been colonised by salt-tolerant plants, creating a rare habitat called saltmarsh. In sheltered areas reed beds have also established themselves. Here in the upper reaches you are likely to catch sight of shelduck, mute swans, grebes, sedge warbler, green sandpiper, buzzards and osprey.

The middle and upper reaches of the Dart are rich in bird life. Shelduck, dunlin, curlew and redshank groom the mudflats and shores, the heron, egret and kingfisher fish in the shallows while the reedbeds occupy the reed warblers and reed buntings. Near Totnes dabbling mallards and mute swans assemble. Buzzards circle and sometimes an Osprey can be seen fishing for salmon. In the lower reaches, near Old Mill Creek and around Greenway, you will find terns, herons and kingfishers.

From the hills and cliffs at the entrance of the Dart a variety of seagoing birds can be seen offshore. In the busy waterway between Dartmouth and Kingswear, gulls and cormorants perch on the moorings and marker buoys and, if you're lucky, you'll spot Sandwich terns fishing.

Off shore is the domain of gulls, eider ducks, skuas, purple sandpipers and turnstones.

A small population of grey seals, about 20 in number, has made its home in the Dart and its surrounding waters. They have been seen fishing as far upriver as the weir at Totnes and are regularly found basking at various haul-out points at the mouth of the Dart.

Otters have been spotted bounding along the banks of the river and otter spraint has been found at various locations. You will be very lucky to see one of these nocturnal animals during the day, but if you do please contact Dart Estuary Environmental Management on 01803 835801 with the time and location of sighting.

Dolphins, basking sharks and other cetaceans are frequent visitors along our coast. Occasionally, dolphins will venture into the estuary. The estuary is a 'confined' space for such animals and it is advisable, for their safety and yours, not to approach them closely (less than 100 metres). Reported sightings of cetaceans are always welcome and can be made to Seaquest on 01392 279244. Reckless or deliberate disturbance of marine mammals is illegal (Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000). For more information on marine mammals contact the Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society

Find out how DEEM aims to support nature conservation by reading this extract from the Management Plan. The full plan can be downloaded at the end of the extract.

The plan's guiding principles provide the context in which the aims are achieved and the actions carried out.

The full original plan can be downloaded at the end of the extract, however the latest 2006-2011 Periodic Review Dart Estuary Environmental Management Plan (EMP) can also be downloaded here. It is closely linked with the Management Plan for the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and has a five year horizon.

• Guiding Principles

• To protect existing wildlife habitat and seek to enhance the environmental quality of the estuary as a whole.
• To raise public awareness of the value of the estuary in nature conservation terms and promote responsible behavior.

• Strategic Objectives

• To improve the range and detail of information available on wildlife and its habitat in the Dart Estuary.
• To maintain as a minimum requirement the existing extent of all inter-tidal mudflats, salt marsh and reed beds within the estuary.
• To improve level of knowledge of natural processes within the estuary.
• To ensure conservation issues are an integral element of an estuary management strategy.
• To promote awareness of the natural assets of the estuary.